City of London Trinity Square Conservation Area Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD
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Contents Introduction ...... 3
Character Summary ...... 4
1. Location and context ...... 4 2. Designation history ...... 5 3. Summary of character ...... 5 4. Historical development ...... 5 5. Spatial analysis ...... 11 6. Character analysis ...... 14 7. Land uses and related activity ...... 21 8. Architectural character ...... 21 9. Local details ...... 21 10. Building materials ...... 23 11. Open spaces and trees ...... 23 12. Public realm ...... 23 13. Cultural associations ...... 24 Management Strategy ...... 25
14. Planning Policy ...... 25 15. Access and an Inclusive Environment ...... 28 16. Environmental Enhancement ...... 29 17. Transport ...... 30 18. Management of Open Spaces and Trees ...... 30 19. Archaeology ...... 31 20. Enforcement ...... 32 21. Condition of the Conservation Area ...... 32 Further reading and references ...... 33
Appendices ...... 34
Contacts ...... 35
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Introduction
The present urban form and character of the City of London has evolved over many centuries and reflects numerous influences and interventions: the character and sense of place is hence unique to that area, contributing at the same time to the wider character of the City.
This character summary and management strategy provides an understanding of the significance of the conservation area by identifying and analysing its principal characteristics. It does not include specific detail about every building and feature within the area, and any omission from the text should not be interpreted as an indication of lesser significance. The character summary and management strategy has been prepared in line with the English Heritage document Understanding Place: Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management (2011).
This document is proposed to be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document. It should be read in conjunction with the City of London Core Strategy, the emerging City of London Local Plan, saved policies from the City of London Unitary Development Plan and other guidance, including ‘Conservation Areas in the City of London, A General Introduction to their Character’ (1994) which has more information on the history and character of the City.
Former Port of London Authority Building
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Character Summary
1. Location and context Trinity Square Conservation Area is in the South-East of the City of London, adjacent to the boundary with the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets. It is situated to the North-West of the Tower of London on an area of relatively high ground.
The conservation area is bound by Trinity Gardens and Byward Street, Coopers Row, Crutched Friars, Hart Street, and Seething Lane. The conservation area is located in Tower Ward and covers an area of 16,421 sq. metres.
Trinity Square Conservation Area shares a boundary with Fenchurch Street Station Conservation Area on its northern side, and with Lloyd’s Avenue Conservation Area, just beyond that. Crescent Conservation Area lies a short distance to the east.
Boundary Map
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2. Designation history
16 May 1991 Designated as part of Tower Conservation Area
01 April 1994 Minor extensions to Tower Conservation Area following the Boundary Commission’s Review of local administrative boundaries
16 June 2007 Re-designation of part of Tower Conservation Area as Trinity Square Conservation Area
3. Summary of character The characteristics which contribute to the special interest of Trinity Square Conservation Area are summarised as follows:
The principal interest is the dominance of the former Port of London Authority building (10 Trinity Square), Trinity House and the Church of St Olave.
A conservation area focused on an intact group of mostly early 20th Century buildings with a distinctive Imperial character unified by the use of Portland stone with a high level of decorated and Classical details.
A formal network of streets with a southern open aspect over Trinity Gardens.
The southern part of the conservation area lies within the local setting boundary of the Tower of London World Heritage Site.
Tightly drawn boundaries with opportunities limited to proposals that preserve or enhance the conservation area.
4. Historical development
Early history Evidence for prehistoric occupation is limited, and comes from a small assemblage of flint scrapers and cutting tools of late Bronze Age and early Iron Age pottery. A later Iron Age burial was found at the Tower of London.
For much of the 1st and 2nd centuries the area lay beyond the fringes of the Roman city. The principal area of Roman settlement and growth lay to the west centred on the Walbrook stream. Another stream, the Lorteburn was in the eastern part of the city. The conservation area lies inside the Roman City
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 5 wall, built during the early 3rd Century. The wall enclosed a large area of just under 330 acres (133 ha). This area may have been relatively undeveloped in the Roman period.
Evidence suggests that occupation in the early Roman period comprised low-density development inside the area later to be enclosed by the city wall. This was characterised by enclosures for animals and small fields (evidenced by parallel ditches). There is also evidence of 1st and 2nd century Roman buildings and glass making activity in the area.
Later in the Roman period it appears that several large-scale high-status buildings were constructed, including some with substantial wall foundations. At least three metalled roads with timber lined drainage ditches have also been found. Close to the Church of St Olave, Roman tessellated pavements were discovered during excavations for sewers in 1839-41. A sculpture of three mother goddesses was also found, probably coming from a temple or a shrine, and further indicating the richness of Roman activity in this part of the city. The roads and some of the buildings show evidence of repair and replacement suggesting a denser and more diverse activity for this part of Londinium.
Evidence of a monumental building dating to the 3rd century AD has been recorded east of Seething Lane. The building had two rows of large stone pier bases, indicating it may have been a basilical building.
Along the riverfront, there is evidence of quays or hithes, being formed, with sides lined with timbers and stakes, where ships could moor and be loaded or unloaded.
In the post-Roman period, there is limited evidence of activity until the later period of 11th century.
Medieval This area was transformed by the construction of the Tower of London, beginning with the White Tower in the 1090s. During this period there were successive modifications undertaken to the Roman defences. Maps from c.1270 show the rapid development of the City that followed the Norman Conquest and the basic street pattern that survives today. An area of land was originally kept open around the Tower for its defence, known as the Tower Liberty.
The earliest street to be mentioned is Seething Lane, called Shyvethenstrat in 1257; the name derives from the Old English for chaff, which may refer to corn being threshed and winnowed in the lane. The name became Syvidlane, and later Seething Lane. It ran north to the junction of Olafstrete, later to become Hart Street.
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The Church of St Olave was situated at the junction. The earliest mention was 1100 -1135, dedicated to Olaf, King of Norway who was martyred in 1030; suggesting the presence of Scandinavian traders in the area.
Cooper’s Row is first recorded c.1260 as Woderoulane/ Woodruffe Lane, and is so called from the coopers who stored their casks in the recesses against the City wall, but the area behind the City wall remained open ground until the end of the medieval period. This part of the City was sparsely occupied by comparison with Cheapside and the waterfront areas.
Tower Hill was described at this time as a large plot of open ground surrounded with irregular houses. The scaffold on which state offenders were executed stood on the site that now lies within Trinity Square Gardens. Among the most notable to be executed here were Sir Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, the Protectore Somerset, Lord Strafford and Archbishop Laud. The occupant of one of the houses was Lady Raleigh whilst her husband Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned in the Tower.
The Port of London continued to develop with numerous docks (both wet and dry), being built throughout the medieval period. Associated with the increase in river trade, was the formation of the Trinity Guild by the sailors who practised pilotship on the river. From 1514 the guild or Corporation of Trinity House, became the public authority which provided the means of safe navigation, particularly on the River Thames.
A significant event in the area was the founding of the Crutched Friars Friary in 1298. The Friary was dissolved in 1539 and the priory hall turned into a glass factory, one of the earliest in England to produce Venetian glass. It burned down in 1575, which lead to further subdivision of building plots in the area. Agas map of 1579 shows houses fronting onto Seething Lane, with open space divided by walls to the east. It is clear that the later development of the site was influenced by this medieval and even Roman activity, evidenced by reused wall foundations and plot boundaries. 16th to 18th century buildings on the site may reflect, in part, the medieval layout. Other Friary buildings were replaced by a large house, fronting onto Seething Lane and extending into the northern part of Seething Lane Gardens. The house belonged to Master John Aleyn in 1538, and was known as Muscovy House in 1579 and Walsingham House in 1606.
Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Early in the 17th century, development spread with the construction of properties along the frontage of Cooper’s Row (Woodruffe’s Lane), with gardens stretching back to the City wall. Historically, Cooper’s Row formed a
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 7 connection between the northern edge of the Tower of London Liberties and the City, running north-south on the inside of the Roman Wall.
The Great Fire of 1666 was halted just short of the Church of St Olave, and this part of the City was left untouched. By 1676 the area was characterised by dense building plots to the south as far as All Hallows Barking by the Tower Church. To the north of this was an open area, shown on Ogilby and Morgan’s map. There were several inns with courtyards to their rear located on Seething Lane, which were described by Samuel Pepys in 1660. At the same time, to the east (where Trinity House now stands) was the open space that formed part of Tower Hill.
The proximity of the river and numerous docks along the riverbank had a significant effect upon the developing use of the area for warehouses and organisations with maritime connections.
From 1580 until his death in 1590, Sir Francis Walsingham had a house in Seething Lane. The house, with White Horse Yard to the south (within All Hallows parish), was sold to a Navy Commissioner in 1654, and by 1656 the Navy Office had been built here. In 1660 Samuel Pepys was appointed Clerk of the Acts of the Navy and given a house in the Lane. In 1672 the Navy Office was destroyed by fire, but was re-built in 1674-5 on the old site to the designs of either Sir Christopher Wren or Robert Hooke. In 1777 Nelson stayed at the Navy Office with his uncle who was Comptroller of the Navy. Finally, the building was demolished in 1788 when the office moved to Somerset House. Following this, the site was taken over by the East India Company, who constructed a large bonded warehouse on the site, known as ‘Crutched Friars Warehouse’. It is shown by Rocque in 1746 but had been replaced by warehouses by the time of Horwood’s map in 1819. The East India Company sold the property in 1835 to the East India Dock Company who sold it to the London and India Docks Company.
Opposite the Navy Office was the Church of St Olave where Pepys worshipped in the Navy Office pew, and where he and his wife are buried. Pepys was a frequent worshipper in this parish church, but had no monument until 1884, when one was designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield and placed on the south wall.
By 1746, Savage Gardens ran north through the centre of the area, and in 1797 Trinity Square was laid out by Samuel Wyatt as the setting for Trinity House, built in 1796 as the headquarters of the Corporation of Trinity House. In 1836 the corporation was given control of all English lighthouses and navigation marks, and a government loan of £1.25 million financed the purchase of all private lighthouses.
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Ogilby and Morgan 1676-79
R Horwood 1792-99
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By the late 18th century, smaller warehouses had been constructed to the south of the Crutched Friars warehouse and houses fronted onto Seething Lane with open space to the rear. Catherine Court was a narrow court of fine early 18th century houses which was entered from Seething Lane on the west and Trinity Square to the east. It replaced an earlier court on the same alignment, known as Green Arbour Court, first mentioned in 1683. It is clear that this later development of the site was influenced by the earlier Roman and Medieval buildings, which is shown by evidence of reused wall foundations and land boundaries. Therefore the arrangement of the 16th – 18th century buildings recorded in the area and on historic maps may reflect, at least in part, the medieval layout.
Nineteenth century In the 19th century, the character of the area developed in association with the Port of London and growing commercialisation. Fenchurch Street Station was built to the north in 1841, and a new east-west (Lower Thames Street) road cut through to the north of the Tower in 1882-4, followed by the construction of Tower Bridge in 1886-94. All of this prompted increasing commercial development, including several warehouses and Bonded warehouses built by 1873.
In 1894, Mark Lane Station and train line was opened in the south west corner of the area, and throughout this period the area remained densely occupied, characterised by small plots, except for Trinity House and the East India Company warehouses.
Twentieth and twenty-first centuries The early 20th century is characterised by the clearing away of small buildings, courts and yards of previous centuries to make way for more imposing buildings. These larger public and office buildings reflected the importance of the river trade and increasing commercial uses in the area.
In 1909 the Port of London Authority was formed to put an end to the fierce competition between dock companies, and improve the efficiency of the docks. The Authority needed a headquarters and a competition was held to choose the design.
The construction of the Port of London Authority building at 10 Trinity Square, 1912-22, to the design of Sir Edwin Cooper, resulted in the demolition of the buildings of Catherine Court and the remainder of Seething Lane Gardens. The development created two new streets; Pepys Street and Muscovy Street.
Muscovy Street probably takes its name from the Tavern; the Tzar of Muscovy which used to stand at no. 48 Great Tower Street. It was frequented by Peter
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 10 the Great when he was learning ship-building at Deptford. The construction included the creation of a garden along the west side of the property. Seething Lane Gardens, as they are known, are built over the backfilled cellars of the East India Company Warehouses and earlier buildings.
The City of London was heavily bombed during the Second World War, however Trinity Square itself remained relatively unscathed. The damage prompted ideas of radical re-planning in the Tower environs. The road north of the Tower was widened and realigned as part of a proposed ’ring road’ (Lower Thames Street), of which only the southern section was realised. New office buildings were constructed to the north and west of the conservation area as well as residential buildings.
The Port of London Authority occupied the building at 10 Trinity Square until 1970 when the Authority moved to Tilbury and the building was sold.
5. Spatial analysis
Layout and plan form The conservation area is an irregular shape with a closely drawn boundary around the three dominant buildings within it. The Church of St Olave in the north-west corner, the former PLA building occupies the central portion, and to the east is Trinity House. These buildings and the streets that border them – Hart Street/Crutched Friars in the north, Seething Lane on the western boundary, Savage Gardens and Pepys Street, form a compact area indicative of this part of the city.
In the development of the street layout, it is the north–south routes through the Conservation Area that have the longest history. Seething Lane was first mentioned in documents as Shyvethenstrat in 1257, and Coopers Row in 1260, with Savage Gardens shown to be a well-established route by1746.
The modern street layout came into existence with the demolition of domestic dwellings and warehouses on Seething Lane and Catherine Court in 1913. The former Port of London Authority building was completed in 1922 with the completion of Seething Lane Gardens as a public garden at the same time. Two new streets were created as a result of this large development – Pepys Street and Muscovy Street.
Byward Street was built by the Metropolitan and District Railway Companies in 1889-1906, with a railway running beneath to connect the Metropolitan Railway and Metropolitan District Railway to form the Circle Line. Mark Lane Station opened in 1894. For the first few years it was known as Great Tower Street. The present name is derived from the Byward Tower of the Tower of London where the password or byword has to be given at night.
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Building plots The building plots in the conservation area vary in size due to the variety of building types and ages. They are characterised by their setting and the relationship to the streets, the open spaces and the Church of St Olave.
Building heights Building heights in the area are between 5 and 8 storeys, except for the tower of 10 Trinity Square which rises above. This uniformity of height protects the setting of the Tower of London World Heritage Site, and forms an intermediate step between the river frontage, the Tower of London and buildings rising up towards the Eastern Cluster.
It is important to maintain views of Trinity Gardens as an open space between the Tower and the City (reflecting the defensive open space of the Tower of London Liberties), reinforcing its strategic location.
The consistency of building heights across the conservation area enables the tower of the former Port of London Authority building and the spire and tower of the Church of St Olave to retain their prominence in the streetscape.
Views and vistas The buildings of the conservation area form part of the local setting of the Tower of London. They define the series of spaces which form the local setting, and contribute to the quality of those spaces. They form the immediate backdrop to the Tower in views of the World Heritage Site across the local setting. In these local views, the imposing former Port of London Authority building and Trinity House can be seen rising behind the railings and above the trees that encircle Trinity Gardens. 10 Trinity Square has been designated a City Skyline feature and further information can be found in the Protected Views SPD.
The green spaces of Trinity Gardens and Seething Lane Gardens permit longer views of the buildings of the conservation area.
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10 Trinity Square across Seething Lane Gardens
The ground level rises northwards from the river. Beyond the conservation area, the cluster of tall buildings contrasts with the scale and character of this part of the city. The skyline of the area is clearly visible from the south and south-east as a result of the change in topography, and has an effect on the appearance of the area.
The view south along Coopers Row provides a medium to long distance framed view of parts of the Tower of London.
The railway bridge at the north end of Coopers Row creates a dark section of street, becoming lighter and more open towards the southern end at Trinity Gardens. The view from the southern end is focused on the Tower beyond a foreground that is interrupted by vehicles, vegetation, street furniture and a telephone kiosk. The Tower is a key focus of the view along Cooper’s Row
A significant view within the conservation area is from Pepys Street of the decorated and carved gate to the churchyard and the Church of St Olave.
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6. Character analysis The conservation area is varied in the size of its buildings, but unified in the use of Portland stone, with imposing facades and modelling. Buildings throughout the conservation area adjoin the pavement.
Trinity Square No.15 is prominent in its position on the corner of Byward Street and Trinity Square. Built by E.B I’Anson in 1908-9, it is an early 20th Century Portland stone building with granite plinth and banded rustication above on the ground floor. It has large timber windows. The 1st and 2nd floors are restrained, with banded rustication on the outer bays and the prominent corner, being the only embellishment. Above the cornice on the Byward Street elevation there is fine detailing in the form of a pediment at either end, a central stone arch and an eagle sculpture poised above. The mansard is set back and barely visible from street level. The building was formerly the General Steam Navigation Company building, and was heightened in 1931 by Alfred Roberts. He added the Palladian extension facing north to Muscovy Street, which is more restrained but with a fine balcony at 1st floor level. The building makes a valuable contribution to the conservation area by virtue of its corner position, the three elevations, each with its own character, and the unity of height, material and age with its neighbours.
15 Trinity Square
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15 Trinity Square 14 Trinity Square
No. 14 is a plainer building that blends well with the more restrained elevation of No.15 that faces onto Trinity Square. The rusticated Portland stone at ground floor level rises to plain stone work above, terminating in a carved fascia (with Greek references), below the entablature. A double mansard rises above. The cornice and ultimate building height matches that of no.15, contributing to the homogeneity of the group. It was built by Niven & Wigglesworth in 1920-2 and was originally occupied by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce.
Nos. 14 and 15 Trinity Square, form a townscape group with No.16 Byward Street and 32 Seething Lane, subservient but complementary to the imposing former Port of London Authority building. This group contributes greatly to the setting of the two listed buildings that border Trinity Gardens, strengthening the character of this southern aspect of the conservation area and the local setting of the Tower of London World Heritage Site, and Trinity Gardens.
10 Trinity Square (former Port of London Authority building) was designed by Sir Edwin Cooper, 1912-22. The plan is perfectly square, except for the SE entrance corner, which is dominated by the splayed monumental Corinthian portico, with six columns rising through three storeys. Above is the massive square stepped angle tower, with square columns to the left and right. A uniform entablature girdles the whole structure. The building is designed to be clearly visible from the surrounding area and the river. Clad in Portland stone
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 15 and enriched with quantities of decorative sculpture, it displays Edwardian confidence and is the dominant presence on Trinity Square. The dark metal windows frames have slim profiles. Consent has been granted for the refurbishment of the building, and extensions into the courtyard and at roof level. The permission is for use as a hotel and apartment building and works are due to be completed in late 2014.
10 Trinity Square (former Port of London Authority Building)
In 1793-6 Trinity House on Tower Hill was built to the designs of Samuel Wyatt. The foundation stone was laid by William Pitt. Severely damaged by bombing in the 2nd World War, it was re-built by Richardson and Houfe behind the 18th century façade in 1953. Wyatt’s façade is elegant yet serious. Stone-faced, of five bays, with a tall piano nobile on a rusticated basement. It is organised as a series of three-fold divisions, each with a wider middle section. The centre is recessed, and triply subdivided by unfluted Ionic columns (paired pilasters on the end bays). It has straight-headed tripartite windows at the centre and ends, made by smaller Ionic columns. There are reliefs over the windows including cherubs and lighthouses (ends) and the Corporation of Trinity House arms (centre). This building provides a valuable transition between the grand Portland stone buildings to the west, and the more domestic scale, brick Georgian buildings of Coopers Row (in Tower Hamlets) and Crescent conservation area. There have been a number of interventions at roof level to increase the roof plant; however it has been possible to ensure that it is not visible from below.
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Trinity House
Whilst Trinity Gardens lies outside the boundary of the conservation area (within the Tower Hamlets Tower of London conservation area), it provides structural form to the sweep of imposing buildings around the gardens and has a strong impact on their prominence and setting. The open space forms an important backdrop to the setting of the Tower of London. The buildings on Trinity Square respect the open space of Tower Hill and maintain the building line set back from the Tower at the edge of the Liberties.
Seething Lane No.32 is a typical early 20th Century Portland stone building with arcaded ground floor, and banded rustication above. It has principal elevations onto Seething Lane and Byward Street, with its rear elevation facing onto Muscovy Street. This building is valuable in its punctuation of the corner of Byward Street and Seething Lane, and forms a fine townscape group with no. 16 Byward Street and Nos. 14 & 15 Trinity Square. This group are united by their use of Portland stone, similar building heights, and a pleasing similarity of design, whilst each building also retains its individual identity.
On the east side of Seething Lane is Seething Lane Gardens bound by railings, and the side elevation of the former Port of London Authority building. The garden forms part of the hotel development at 10 Trinity Square and will be reinstated once the development works are complete.
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No. 35 Seething Lane at the north end of the street is also referred to as Walsingham House. It was built by E.G.W Souster in 1929 from Portland stone. This is a well-executed City-style, commercial building with fine glazing. It combines bronze floor bands at the windows and decorated spandrel panels at ground floor level. It is an unusual survivor in the City from this period, and a relatively unaltered example, making its contribution to the conservation area all the more notable.
35 Seething Lane
Opposite Walsingham House is the entrance to the Church of St Olave and churchyard, Hart Street.
Coopers Row This is a busy but relatively narrow route, used by many pedestrians moving between Tower Hill and Fenchurch Street Station.
Savage Gardens This is a narrow street running between the dominant buildings of 10 Trinity Square and Trinity House. The road provides a historic connection between the north-west corner of the Tower of London Liberties and the City. It is enclosed by 8-10 storey buildings on both sides with an open view at the end of the street towards Trinity Gardens. Tower Bridge becomes visible upon approaching the southern end. Articulated stone work, recessed statues and iron railings at pedestrian height contribute to the local palette of high-quality materials.
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View along Savage Gardens 14 Trinity Square
Byward Street No.16 is built of Portland Stone, a solid, early 20th century office building dating from 1909, by George Sherrin. It formerly housed Mark Lane station which closed when the new station opened on Tower Hill. The upper office storeys were added by Delissa Joseph, 1911, and a rear extension by Joseph, 1922, faces Muscovy Street. It has an arcaded ground floor with French influenced piers of banded rustication and cartouche capitals above. It has a strong character with details and materials typical of the period. The height is consistent with its neighbours and with the street elevation of the Former Port of London Authority building. A fine townscape building, this forms a group with 32 Seething Lane and 14 & 15 Trinity Square.
Muscovy Street This street between large blocks was formed by the development of the former Port of London Authority building. It is lined by elevations of buildings that front Trinity Square and Byward Street. It forms the southern boundary of Seething Lane Gardens. The street probably takes its name from the Tavern, the Tzar of Muscovy which used to stand at no. 48 Great Tower Street. As referred to above, the rear elevations of 14 & 15 Trinity Square, 16 Byward Street and 32 Seething Lane form a group that make a strong contribution to the conservation area by virtue of their unifying characteristics of materials, height, building age and detailing. In particular, the banded rustication across all the elevations facing onto Muscovy Street, create a rhythm that
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 19 mirrors the side elevation of 10 Trinity Square opposite, and strengthens the overall significance of the group.
Hart Street The Church of St Olave is small, and a rare survival from before the Great Fire. The Tower was heightened with brick and the turret added in 1732. The church was severely damaged by bombing in April and May 1941, and was restored by Ernest Glanfield 1951-54, with King Haakon VII of Norway and the Bishop of London laying dedication stones. The vestry of 1662 survives.
The churchyard to the south is entered up steps and through a gateway on Seething Lane. It is embellished with skulls and spikes (dating from1658) which are almost an exact copy of a plate in a Dutch copy-book of 1633. The walled churchyard is secluded and atmospheric. It is one of the most attractive churchyards in the City – sensitively treated, with trees, bushes, grass, seats and railings. An intended landscaping scheme would introduce new planting, seating and lighting.
No. 8 Hart Street, adjoining the church there is a substantial gabled rectory by Glanfield, 1954, vestigially Gothic in Portland stone Ashlar. It is embellished with a carving of St Olav by the Norwegian artist Carl Schou.
Images of St Olave’s Church, Hart Street
Pepys Street A street formed by the construction of 10 Trinity Square in the early 20th century, this route is more restrained, occupied by the north elevation of 10 Trinity Square. Nonetheless it still has a certain majesty about it, with an imposing façade, fine railings and lamp standards along the rear of the building.
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The north side of Pepys Street is outside the conservation area. The modern building here is traditionally designed with solid stone cladding and punched window openings to be sympathetic to the neighbouring buildings in the conservation area, particularly 10 Trinity Square and Walsingham House.
7. Land uses and related activity The area was traditionally occupied by public buildings and warehouses associated with the Port. The use of many of these buildings has changed, and in recent years the area increasingly features residential apartments, hotels, restaurants and bars.
Architectural character
Architects, styles and influences The architecture of the area is predominantly early 20th century with the two notable exceptions of the Church of St Olave and Trinity House.
The characteristic features of 10 Trinity Square and the group of buildings to the south is Edwardian Baroque. Typical details include extensive rustication, usually heavier at ground level, often running into and exaggerating the voissours of arched openings; domed corner rooftop pavilions and a central taller tower-like element creating a lively rooftop silhouette; such as exaggerated keystones, segmental arched pediments, columns with engaged blocks, attached block-like rustication to window surrounds; colonnades of (sometimes paired) columns in the Ionic order and domed towers. The former Port of London Authority Building and in a less exuberant way, 14 &15 Trinity Square, 16 Byward Street and 32 Seething Lane demonstrate these features.
Building ages The conservation area contains buildings spanning more than 800 years from the Church of St Olave 1100 -1135 to the construction of Walsingham House in 1929. With the exception of the Church of St Olave and Trinity House, all the remaining buildings in the conservation area were constructed in a 30 year period between 1900 and 1930, resulting in a great unity of character of the area.
8. Local details The conservation area is enriched by the presence of statuary, memorials, gravestones, plaques, decorative architectural features and other details.
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10 Trinity Square exhibits a wealth of architectural detail and sculpture, with additional embellishments such as lamp standards and railings. 15 Trinity Square and Trinity House are embellished with sculpture.
Architectural details: 10 Trinity Square
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The entrance gate to the Church of St Olave provides enrichment, and the view of this gate and glimpse views of the churchyard along Pepys Street are important features of the conservation area.
The listed Tower of London Liberty markers on Trinity Square are part of an important and unique collection of historic boundary markers of the Tower of London Liberty.
There was a Blue Plaque commemorating Samuel Pepys in Seething Lane Gardens. This is currently in storage pending the garden reinstatement.
There is very little signage in the conservation area contributing to an uncluttered appearance of the buildings and the public realm.
There are numerous examples of iron railings and balconies in the area e.g. the front and rear of 14 and 15 Trinity Square, 10 Trinity Square and in front of Trinity House.
9. Building materials Portland stone is the predominant building material which is characteristic of and unifies the conservation area.
10. Open spaces and trees Seething Lane Gardens and Trinity Square (although outside the conservation area) make a significant contribution to the character and appearance of the area. There are glimpsed views of buildings through Seething Lane Gardens (looking both north and south) which contribute to the interest of the area. The churchyard of St Olave’s also contributes to the significance of the area, it is a more private, and contemplative space, with views glimpsed through the railings and gate.
11. Public realm Paving materials are predominantly of York stone with granite kerbs. Asphalt is laid on the road surfaces.
A public realm enhancement project at the southern end of Seething Lane has pedestrianized a small section of the Lane preventing direct vehicular access onto Byward Street at this point. Surfacing is York stone and there are several planters with low level herbaceous planting to soften the area.
The area fronting Trinity House is laid with large granite setts which complement the setting of the Grade I listed building.
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12. Cultural associations It was long supposed that Richard Whittington’s house was located on Hart Street but the mansion identified as his to visitors in the 18th century was built after his death.
The gate and churchyard of the Church of St Olave is referred to by Charles Dickens in ‘The Uncommercial Traveller’.
Samuel Pepys, the Diarist, had a long association with this part of the City of London. He was a regular worshipper at the Church of St Olave whilst working at the Navy Office where he was appointed Clerk of the Acts of the Navy In 1660 and was given a house in the Lane. He arranged for the Navy Pew to be installed in the Church, and both he and his wife were buried there.
The bust of Samuel Pepys in Seething Lane Gardens will be returned there when the gardens are re-instated.
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Management Strategy The management strategy sets out the position regarding the wider policies and guidance concerning the preservation and enhancement of Trinity Square. Future development schemes and enhancement projects will need to take account of these policies in relation to the special architectural and historic interest of the conservation area, as detailed in the above character summary. Significant characteristics of Trinity Square include its early 20th century buildings and other significant historic buildings and its relationship with the Tower of London World Heritage Site.
Documents produced by the City of London are available on the website www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
13. Planning Policy
National policy The Civic Amenities Act, 1967, gave local authorities the power to designate conservation areas, and these powers are now contained in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The Act (section 69 (1) (a)) defines a conservation area as ‘…an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Section 71 (1) of the Act requires the local planning authority to "…formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their area which are Conservation Areas." See www.legislation.gov.uk
The Government’s planning policies are contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which came into force on 27 March 2012. Historic environment policies are detailed in chapter 12 which sets out the requirements for local authorities and applicants in relation to the conservation of heritage assets, including conservation areas. See www.communities.gov.uk. NPPF historic environment policies are supported by the Historic Environment Planning Practice Guide (2010), produced by English Heritage and endorsed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. See www.english-heritage.org.uk
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London-wide policy The London Plan (2011) forms part of the statutory development plan for the City of London and needs to be taken into account when considering development within the conservation area. Key policies to consider are: policies 7.8 Heritage assets and archaeology and 7.9 Heritage-led regeneration. See www.london.gov.uk
City of London Corporation policy Planning policy in the City of London is contained within the adopted Core Strategy 2011 and a number of saved policies from the 2002 Unitary Development Plan. The City’s Core Strategy will be incorporated into the emerging Local Plan, which is due for adoption in 2015. The Local Plan includes new policies for Development Management, which will be taken into account when deciding applications for planning permission. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Development proposals within Trinity Square Conservation Area have to be considered in the context of the policies in the Core Strategy, the emerging Local Plan and the 55 saved policies from the UDP. Within this framework, particular account will need to be taken of Core Strategic policies CS9 ‘Thames and the Riverside’, CS10 ‘Design’, CS12 ‘Historic Environment’, CS13 ‘Protected Views’, CS20 ‘Retailing’, and CS21 ‘Housing’. Saved UDP policies include ENV 11 ‘Development in Conservation Areas’, ENV 13 ‘Conservation Areas: Premature Demolition’.
In addition to policy CS10 Design, special attention should also be paid to the Local Plan policy DM10.6 ‘Advertisements’. This policy seeks to encourage a high standard of design and a restrained amount of advertising, in keeping with the character of the City, and to resist excessive or obtrusive advertising, inappropriate illuminated signs and the display of advertisements above ground level. See also paragraphs 3.10.32 to 3.10.36 for further details. Other key policies in the Local Plan are: DM12.1 ‘Managing change affecting all heritage assets and spaces’; DM12.2 ‘Development in conservation areas’, DM12.3 ‘Listed Buildings’ and DM10.5 ‘Shopfronts’.
Protected views The London Plan and the Core Strategy seek to protect strategic views which are defined within the Mayor’s SPG – the London View Management Framework (LVMF) 2012.
The City of London Protected Views SPD (2012) outlines protected views of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Monument, Tower of London World Heritage Site and
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 26 other historic landmarks and skyline features protected and managed by planning policies in the Core Strategy and Mayor’s London Plan.
In Trinity Square conservation area, the following Protected Vistas need to be considered:
Tower Bridge (LVMF River Prospect 10A)
Queen’s Walk (LVMF Townscape View 25A.1)
London Bridge (LVMF River Prospect 11B.2).
Development proposals in this area must be designed or sited so that they preserve or enhance the viewer’s ability to recognise and appreciate the Strategically Important Landmark, in this case The Tower of London. Further detail can be found in the London View Management Framework SPG. See www.london.gov.uk
The conservation area is within the Tower of London World Heritage Site Local Setting, as defined by the World Heritage Site Management Plan (Historic Royal Palaces, 2007).
The character summary identifies a number of distant and local views that contribute to the character of the conservation area. Proposals will be assessed for their potential effect on these and other views of significant individual buildings, townscape or skylines.
Sustainability and climate change The City of London is committed to being at the forefront of action in response to climate change and other sustainability challenges that face high density urban environments. In particular, areas will need to be resilient to warmer wetter winters, hotter drier summers and more frequent extreme weather events.
In adapting to meet these challenges, it is important that sustainable development is sensitive to the historic environment. Development, including the incorporation of climate change adaptation measures, should have regard to the need to protect the historic significance of heritage assets.
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Issues specifically relevant to Trinity Square include:
• The open spaces of Seething Lane Gardens and the Churchyard of St Olave’s, Hart Street, contribute to the biodiversity of the conservation area (see Management of Open Spaces and Trees). Seething Lane Gardens have been cleared due to the on-going redevelopment of 10 Trinity Square. The garden and landscaping will be replaced once the development is complete. Trinity Square Gardens lie outside the City of London boundary.
• Tower Hill suffers from traffic related air pollution including high levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulates (PM10). The City of London Air Quality Strategy 2011-2015 (March 2011) sets out the current position and the measures required to ensure improvements in the City’s air quality.
• In order to minimise the risks of flooding elsewhere in the City, new development schemes will be expected to make use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) including rainwater harvesting systems and green roofs.
The Core Strategy policy CS15 provides guidance on sustainable development and climate change and policy CS18 on SuDS. This will be supplemented by policies in the forthcoming City Local Plan. The City has also produced a Climate Change Adaption Strategy (revised and updated January 2010).
14. Access and an Inclusive Environment The City of London is committed to creating an environment suitable for everyone. Opportunities will be taken where possible to provide an inclusive environment and improve accessibility in ways that enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area. This may include improving access to buildings and treating road and pavement surfaces in materials that are sympathetic to access and in keeping with the appearance of the area. As technology evolves and experience in finding solutions to access barriers grows the City Corporation believes that with thought and discussion a solution can be found to ensure that the needs of all users are met.
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15. Environmental Enhancement A City Street Manual (April 2005) has been prepared which sets out in detail the policies used to manage the public realm. The main principles set out in the manual provide the framework for the City Corporation’s vision for the City’s streets. The principles are to:
• Rationalise street furniture.
• Improve the pedestrian experience.
• Enhance paving and surfaces.
• Introduce more trees and planting.
• Preserve historic character.
• Create an inclusive environment.
• Maximise the sustainability of each project.
These principles, detailed guidance and history and evolution of streets and spaces in the City are set out in detail in the manual.
Completed public realm enhancement schemes in Trinity Square conservation area include:
• Trinity Square – This scheme enhanced the paving and street lighting in Trinity Square. The scheme is linked to other proposals for the Tower Gateway area that lies mainly within Tower Hamlets. The Trinity Square enhancements include a new granite setts surface to the carriageway, together with York stone for resurfacing the footways. The new lighting for the square involved the installation of several new light columns.
A public realm enhancement strategy has been adopted for the Aldgate and Tower areas, including Trinity Square. Its principal aims and objectives are as follows:
• To achieve transformational change by removing barriers to movement and creating a vibrant and attractive environment that supports regeneration and increases in users in the area.
• To introduce more green elements such as street trees and new public spaces including: a new public space of significance between Sir John Cass Primary School and St Botolph without Aldgate Church; a new
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green space at America Square; and a new green space at The Crescent.
• To improve the quality and consistency of surface materials and street furniture to create an enhanced street scene.
• To encourage biodiversity within the area.
16. Transport Much work has already been done on reducing motor vehicle traffic in the City, including Trinity Square.
• The Mayor's congestion charging zone scheme has significantly reduced motor vehicle traffic in Central London.
• The Mayor's low emission zone scheme has further reduced numbers of the most-polluting heavy vehicles across London.
• In adopting its Core Strategy the City Corporation has refined its highway hierarchy to further reduce the adverse impacts of motor vehicle traffic, including on the valued character of the City's conservation areas, and will continue to reduce the impact of traffic management infrastructure wherever possible.
• Tower Hill is a London distributor road for which Transport for London is the local traffic authority and the local highway authority. It is used by considerable volumes of motor vehicle traffic, including heavy goods vehicles. An appropriate balance should be struck between efficient through traffic movement and local demands on the street and new accesses onto the street may be permissible if alternatives from other site frontages are not available. Opportunities for ameliorating the adverse impact of the heavy traffic volumes will be sought and taken wherever possible.
Further details about transport proposals, including the City of London Cycle Plan, and Rail Strategy are available on the website. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
17. Management of Open Spaces and Trees Trees, churchyards, gardens and other green spaces make a strong contribution to the character and appearance of Trinity Square and will be enhanced, where appropriate, when opportunities arise.
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The City of London Open Space Strategy (2008) details the existing open spaces of the City, what spaces are to be provided in future, and how these could be delivered. The City of London Biodiversity Action Plan 2010-2015 (2010) outlines the importance of the City’s urban green spaces, which in Trinity Square includes small public gardens and trees. In addition, the City Corporation has published a Habitat Action Plan (HAP) for Urban Green spaces, Churchyards and Cemeteries, and for Built Structures.
The City of London Tree Strategy SPD (2012), Parts 1 and 2, sets out a strategy for the protection, maintenance and increase in privately owned trees and City Corporation owned and managed trees within the City of London. The location of trees or the potential loss of trees in the townscape may have an impact on the setting and views of heritage assets. It is important that this issue is considered and that significant harm is not caused to the setting of heritage assets.
Trees in the conservation area are protected under section 211 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). Anyone proposing to carry out works to a tree in a conservation area must give six weeks’ notice to the local planning authority of their intention to do so prior to undertaking such works.
There are currently no Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) in Trinity Square, although the City Corporation will give further consideration to TPO designation in accordance with the Tree Strategy.
18. Archaeology The City of London is the historic centre of London and has a rich history with monuments and archaeological remains surviving from all periods. It has an historic landscape which has shaped and influenced the modern townscape. There has been almost continuous occupation of the City from the initial Roman settlement and there is some evidence of earlier occupation. The development of the City is contained in the visible and buried monuments and archaeological remains. The history of settlement has led to the build-up and development of a very complex, and in some areas, deep archaeological sequence. Later building development and basement construction has partly eroded the archaeological evidence, and in some areas remains have been lost with no record or an incomplete record of only part of a site.
Due to the complex layering of remains above and below ground, the entire City is considered to have archaeological potential unless it can be demonstrated that archaeological remains have been lost, due to basement construction or other ground works.
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Where development is proposed which involves new groundworks, an historic environment assessment, including an assessment of the archaeological potential and impact of the proposals will be required as part of the planning application. Where significant remains survive, consideration will be given to amendments to the proposals to ensure that disturbance to archaeological remains is minimised or reduced.
The City Corporation will indicate the potential of a site, its relative importance and the likely impact to a developer at an early stage so that the appropriate assessment and design development can be undertaken. Developers should refer to Planning Advice Note 3: Archaeology in the City of London, and Conservation Areas in the City of London: A General Introduction to their Character for further information.
There is high archaeological potential in Trinity Square, including:
• Evidence of Roman settlement and roads
• The church of St. Olave Hart Street
• Remains associated with the House of the Crossed Friars, also known as Crutched Friars
• Medieval and post medieval buildings, settlement and trade, manufacture including glassmaking
• East India Company and other warehouses
• The 17th century Navy Office
• Lorteburn stream
19. Enforcement Suspected potential breaches of planning control regulations are investigated in accordance with the City of London Planning Enforcement Standards, August 2013. This sets out the manner and timescales in which issues will be investigated, and is available on the City of London website.
20. Condition of the Conservation Area The buildings and public realm of Trinity Square are generally in good condition and maintained to a high standard. Potential pressures in the conservation area have been identified as new development and utilities replacement works, although these do not threaten its character. The condition of the conservation area is judged to have improved in recent years, and is expected to further improve in coming years. Planning
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Further reading and references Bradley, Simon, and Pevsner, Nikolaus, The Buildings of England London 1: The City of London (1997)
English Heritage, Understanding Place: Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management (2011) www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage, Seeing the History in the View (2011) www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage, The Setting of heritage assets (2011) www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage climate change guidance and resources www.helm.org.uk
English Heritage climate change website for property owners www.climatechangeandyourhome.org.uk
Freeman, Jennifer (editor) Save the City: a Conservation Study of the City of London (1979)
Stephens Curl, James, Encyclopaedia of Architectural Terms (1992)
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Appendix
Designated Heritage Assets
Correct February 2014
Listed Buildings STREET NUMBER/NAME GRADE Trinity Square HM Tower of London Liberty Boundary Grade II Markers #9: Square metal plaque with embossed inscription reading '9 TL BM', set into road surface at corner of Trinity Square and Muscovy Street. Date unknown, but probably mid C20.
#11: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed '^ W.D. No.11.’ at base of wall facing Trinity Square in front of Trinity House (Grade I). Possibly of 1868.
#12: Painted iron post with rounded
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top, inscribed '^ W.D. No.12.’ at base of wall facing Cooper's Row in front of Trinity House (Grade I). Possibly of 1868. 10 Trinity Square Former Port of London Authority Grade II* Building Trinity Square, EC3 Trinity House Grade I Trinity Square, EC3 Iron Railings and Gates at to Trinity Grade II House Hart Street and The Church of St Olave Grade I Seething Lane, EC3 Hart Street, EC3 Gateway with adjoining wall and Grade II* railing to yard of Church of St Olave
World Heritage Site The Conservation Area is within the Tower of London World Heritage Site Local Setting, as defined by the World Heritage Site Management Plan (Historic Royal Palaces, 2007) and shown in the City of London Core Strategy 2011.
Contacts Department of the Built Environment City of London P.O. Box 270 Guildhall London EC2P 2EJ
Tel: 020 7332 1710 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
The London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road Clerkenwell London EC1R 0HB
Tel: 020 7332 3820 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma
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The City of London Corporation is the local planning authority for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the City of London. It is committed to maintaining and enhancing the status of the business city as one of the world’s three leading financial centres, through the policies it pursues and the high standard of services it provides. Its responsibilities extend far beyond the City boundaries and it provides a host of additional facilities for the benefit of the nation. These range from the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, to the famous Barbican Arts Centre and open spaces such as Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath.
Among local authorities the City of London Corporation is unique. Not only is it the oldest in the country, combining its ancient traditions and ceremonial functions with the role of a modern and efficient authority, but it operates on a non-party political basis through its Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Members of the Court of Common Council.
The City of London Corporation: a unique authority for a unique city.
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